


Freighting

by NorthStar



Series: in a galaxy far far away [1]
Category: Monsta X (Band), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: KiHo Bingo, M/M, Rebel Alliance, Star Wars AU, more like pre-slash tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 19:08:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11675262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthStar/pseuds/NorthStar
Summary: Kihyun misses the thrill of the fight as the pilots of the Rebel Alliance have been stranded for far too long, and then the alarm blears again.





	Freighting

**Author's Note:**

> For the Kiho bingo square "free space", where I've actually chosen to use the prompt "outer space" instead. So of course I go to Star Wars bc I'm basic.
> 
> The lateness is best not addressed.

 

 

“We’re getting a new crew in tomorrow,” Minhyuk states casually as his knuckles dig into Kihyun’s shoulder blades. It’s thoroughly uncomfortable, but Kihyun knows it’s going to help his muscle pains for the next few days, and he’s not exactly in a position to complain.

 

“Uh-huh,” he grunts out instead, not sure if Minhyuk will even hear the sound through the muffling of the pillow.

 

“Yeah,” Minhyuk nods, shifting his thumbs to drag down the sides of Kihyun’s spine. “Their cover on Xoxan II was blown a while ago, they’re relocating. I think the tops are talking about centralizing the Alliance, now, since so many of the minor factions struggle to gather their resources to actually perform jobs instead of just hiding.”

 

Centralize to where, exactly. One of the reasons why the Rebel Alliance are so spread out across various planets, moons and bases is that they need to cater to and support all corners of the galaxy, fight back against the Empire on all grounds. Not everyone can afford to sneak aboard a cargo ship to travel to sanctity on far away planets, nor do they have the opportunity and courage.

 

Besides, the bigger they get, the bigger risk of getting discovered and facing a full-blown attack from the regime. And Kihyun really doesn’t fancy switching bases, again.

 

But Kihyun is not in a position to question any of this.

 

He is not a strategist or a general. He is just a pilot.

 

A good pilot.

 

But in the end, just a pilot.

 

And more than anything else, he has to trust their leaders.

 

“Well, you would know about all of that.”

 

“Sorry?”

 

“I just said – ow!” Kihyun twitches under Minhyuk’s ministrations at a particularly hard shove of his very pointy index fingers. “I just said you would know about all of this. I guess you hear a lot down at intelligence.”

 

“We hear everything there is to hear,” Minhyuk agrees proudly. “Admittedly, that isn’t much. But at least we’re doing something.”

 

Kihyun snorts.

 

The pilots haven’t had joint missions in a while, and Kihyun doesn’t have the highest clearings, so he doesn’t get sensitive missions very often – if at all. The Alliance has been quiet lately, focusing on regrouping and hatching out new strategies as the Empire seems to creep up on them a little more, day by day. It feels like their situation is declining, slowly but surely, behind their backs, and yet he sits around all day doing nothing. He’s not out flying, fighting, searching – instead, he’s just waiting for something to happen. He’s itching to contribute, to get out there and _help,_ but there is nothing for him to do, and it feels incredibly agitating. He’s surprised he hasn’t driven Minhyuk crazy yet.

 

But he knows this inertia isn’t going to last.

 

They will be called out – when, he doesn’t know, but hopefully soon – to do their jobs once more and fight for the freedom they have been denied since Kihyun and Minhyuk were just kids. Rise up against the Empire, put cogs in their wheels and poison in their water. They aren’t a large army, and have to rely on cunning, timing and individual skills to make a difference.

 

A skilled pilot with a strategic aim – an infiltrating spy, stolen technology, pre-emptive hits.

 

That’s what they need.

 

But Kihyun can’t help but feel that the stasis their warriors have been locked in is only going to end when the Empire takes them by surprise instead.

 

The Emperor is nothing if not resourceful, and has curbed their efforts before.

 

Still.

 

If Kihyun got out to do something other than wandering the base, assisting menial jobs and doing his regular workouts – maybe he wouldn’t feel as agitated. Maybe he would feel more confident in their forces.

 

He doubts it.

 

This restlessness is one that isn’t going to calm down until he gets out in his starfighter, feels the hum of the motor under his arms as he moves the controller, hears the static in his ears and sees the stars right next to him, enveloping him, dangerous but oh so beautiful.

 

Minhyuk kind of gets it. He thinks he gets it, but Kihyun knows he doesn’t, not entirely – it’s impossible to know that feeling without having been there, seen what he has seen, done it all –

 

Minhyuk has his computers. It’s all he wants and all he needs, he doesn’t understand this dependency on something bigger, something more powerful and threatening. Something thrilling.

 

He doesn’t understand the need to be in the middle of it all.

 

But maybe that’s just as well – now, Kihyun doesn’t have to worry about Minhyuk doing anything stupid, like getting himself shot out of the sky. Minhyuk is clever, terribly clever when he wants to be, but he is prone to nervous tics and stress in the heat of the moment. Things that make you a bad pilot.

 

Kihyun is a good pilot because although he is hotheaded and stubborn, he can be calm and analytical until the very end, and above all he is rational in face of adversity.

 

But here at the base, with both feet planted on the ground, he becomes a restless container of energy while waiting.

 

Instead, he tries to push his body to maximum capacity – assisting the mechanics, moving crates, working out in the empty cargo storage in the basement. Some of the other pilots join him, once in a while, but none of them feel the same need to prove something that Kihyun does.

 

He has other… Unique characteristics.

 

Minhyuk knows, and he knows when it becomes too much. He knows when to force Kihyun down on the bed to make him rest, how to convince him that sleep isn’t a waste of time.

 

Or that he deserves a good, old fashioned massage to soothe aches and pains.

 

Minhyuk is just generally the best, really.

 

“Who is this new crew, then?” Kihyun asks, trying to prompt Minhyuk to keep talking so he doesn’t have to.

 

Minhyuk doesn’t have to be asked twice. “Most of them are refugees, really, but some are young and highly trainable. Others were just looking for a safe heaven, and from here we can redirect them to other civilian planets, if they want to. There is also a group of Miraluka on board, they will be valuable assets, I’m sure – these ones in particular are the only survivors from a recent raid, if I understood them correctly. Also, the remnants of the Azure Squad.”

 

“Azure Squad?” Kihyun frowns into the pillow, even if Minhyuk won’t see it. “They going to join forces with us at Mauve?”

 

“Now you’re asking difficult questions,” Minhyuk clicks his tongue. “You know more about the structure and procedures of the fighter fleet than I do, and nothing I’ve heard so far specifies their intentions. But I guess that depends on their numbers, it was a bit ambiguous.”

 

“We could always use more people,” Kihyun grumbles. Their own numbers are dwindling, and no new recruits lately have meant a relatively diminished squadron compared to their foundation phase. Kihyun himself is not the oldest pilot in the group, but he’s a long-running member and has seen many people come and go during his tenure.

 

“We all could,” Minhyuk agrees, and thumbs over Kihyun’s shoulder blades slowly.

 

And Kihyun lets himself drift off to that thought, when Minhyuk’s touches soften and instead lulls him into a comfortable, soothing sleep, much needed and greatly appreciated.

 

He doesn’t dream, but if he did, he would dream of stars and smoky planets shrouded in red, blue, yellow and green. The flashes of blaster cannons, shots, TIE fighters and burning ships.

 

The smell of blood on scorched bones.

 

He would dream of a ruined village, first enslaved then drowning, of screaming children and sobbing mothers. Angry men and grieving communities.

 

Of red blasters in the night.

 

But he doesn’t dream. He sleeps peacefully instead.

 

He doesn’t even wake until the alarm starts blaring, quietly at first and then rising in volume until it disappears again in less than half a minute.

 

Kihyun blinks himself awake, noticing that Minhyuk had fallen asleep behind him on the cot at some point, and tries to process the alarm pattern. It was the call signal for the pilots – the Mauve squadron.

 

But it was also the emergency signal, the one that means drop everything and come running to the hangar ASAP.

 

“Minhyuk,” Kihyun starts, nudging Minhyuk’s shoulder slightly. “Wake up, we have to go.”

 

“You have to go,” Minhyuk mumbles, surprisingly coherently.

 

But not entirely right.

 

“No, come on, you idiot,” Kihyun sighs, shoving him harder. “You need to be there to man the panels. Come on, get up.”

 

“You run ahead, soldier,” Minhyuk groans and rolls over. “I’ll be there in a while.”

 

And Kihyun supposes it’s fair, because Minhyuk doesn’t need the same time to prep as he does, but still. If he runs off, he’s not sure Minhyuk will have someone to drag him out of bed.

 

Nevertheless, he doesn’t have much time, and Minhyuk is a big boy. He should be able to take care of himself.

 

With one final glare at the lump in the bed, Kihyun takes off, shrugging on his jacket as he runs out into the corridor of the West wing. It’s on the other side of the base from the hangar, which is unfortunate, but at least it’s quiet here, and the chambers are a lot more comfortable than the others.

 

Kihyun doesn’t even bother cursing himself as he runs.

 

He is finally going out.

 

Something is happening – for the first time in a good while, and they called all the pilots, not just individual assignments.

 

He can’t help but smile a little at the thought, already feeling the adrenaline build in anticipation.

 

When he gets to the hangar, one of the generals is there along with a young lieutenant, gathering the pilots in a little circle to give them the details about the new mission. It’s brief, efficient, and Kihyun is soaking it all up with an almost childlike eagerness.

 

“There is a new faction of the Alliance on its way here, their ships got out of hyperspace a few minutes ago, but they were followed,” the general says. “The Empire is hot on their heels. We need to distract them, and drive them away. Help the survivors get down here, but don’t reveal our position! They have a few fighters with them, but too few, they’re not going to make it alone. Go get our people!”

 

“Sir!” The pilots cry out in unison.

 

“Good,” the general smiles, looking them over. “1, 4, 6 and 11, you deploy first. Assess the situation and report back, the rest of you, stand by for assistance if necessary. The less of a commotion we make, the better, but don’t hesitate! We must be swift and merciless. The Empire cannot find our location. Take them out.”

 

The pilots nod again, and the general leaves them with the lieutenant. Kihyun knows him well – Son Hyunwoo, a ground soldier, compassionate and orderly, and the chief of operations in the general’s place. He supervises and controls the situation from the base, but generally, he trusts the pilots to do their jobs efficiently.

 

Kihyun has a lot of respect for Hyunwoo, and wouldn’t feel safer with anyone else.

 

He knows Hyunwoo is more familiar with the individual pilots than the general is – he probably had a decisive voice regarding which fighters should be sent out first. It’s not favouritism, not exactly, but Kihyun still feels a wave of gratitude at being selected for the initial attack.

 

He won’t let him down.

 

Hyunwoo dismisses them after a quick roundthrough of their strategy, and his usual military-style lecture at the end – don’t get killed, look after each other, be safe – with a particular look at each of the pilots, lingering a little bit longer on the first ones. And while Hyunwoo is no pilot himself, he knows what it involves, the dangers and the importance – probably the only one who truly understands, Kihyun thinks. He suspects Hyunwoo has had his fair share of experiences in a cockpit, if not as the driver, then at least as co-pilot or navigator.

 

And now it’s their turn.

 

Kihyun’s ship is ready for him when he strolls over, not polished or clean or anything, but ready to raise hell, and his heart warms at the sight of her.

 

Jooheon, his regular mechanic, helps Kihyun maintain and prep her before each mission, but also keeps her in a constant state of readiness, just in case – just in case something like this happens. It usually doesn’t, but that one time, it feels so reassuring that everything clicks into place.

 

Kihyun’s heart hammers in his chest as he shrugs into the flight uniform hurriedly, barely closing all straps and tugging the monitors in place before jumping into his ship. She’s not new, nothing fancy, but Kihyun loves her all the same. They have been places, the two of them, seen things and done things he feels both proud and shameful about.

 

He missed her.

 

The combination of keys and levers come easily to him, as always, and there is no conscious thought to anything he does – he just needs to get his ship flying, as soon as possible, and it’s a relief when he hears the engine start up. It hasn’t been that long, not really, but it was long enough, and he is eager to get going again.

 

He looks up to see Minhyuk across the hangar, arms crossed and face neutral, but Kihyun knows Minhyuk well enough to know that he is just worried. As soon as Kihyun’s fighter has flown out, Minhyuk will run to the communications dash, ready to take his and the other pilots’ directions, efficient and calm.

 

At least until they return and  the tension he has tried to keep under lock and key finally drops in relief.

 

There is always a very real danger going out there, into outer space and the vast, endless nothingness that will swallow them whole if they let it. All it takes is one precise shot, one malfunction, a slight hiccup and misdirection – and they are done for. Even rogue asteroids and ancient debris can take out the small fighters if they are not careful, and once they fall off-course, there is nothing that can save them.

 

Kihyun knows all of this – but it’s a rush, it’s adrenaline and excitement, the real feeling of actually giving themselves to the cause and the mercy of the infinite darkness around them, as tiny, insignificant, but so important to their tiny, insignificant existence nonetheless.

 

A fascinating oxymoron.

 

Kihyun is not the first pilot to be cleared for departure, but he is the second, and as Mauve 1 takes off ahead of him, he revs the engine and double-checks his coordinates out of habit. Nothing is out of place, and he knows exactly where to go – but it’s the comfort of doing something while he waits, feeling as confident as he can before going out there.

 

And then he’s taking off.

 

His fighter is easy under his hands, accelerating easily and only experiencing a little bit of a struggle as they turn upwards against gravity, ascending into the atmosphere easily once they gain momentum. It is a clear day, with no clouds or layers of mist or fog between the base and the nothingness of space. Kihyun sees Mauve 4 somewhere ahead of him, and Mauve 6 is following on their tail.

 

His comm buzzes to life.

 

_“Mauve 4, establish contact with base. Status update?”_

Kihyun smiles.

 

“I’m good, Minhyuk,” he says, gritting his teeth slightly at the heavy pressure from the acceleration and gravitational pull. The fighters are modern, technology solid enough that the pilots shouldn’t feel discomfort from going in and out of atmospheres, but Kihyun is more sensitive than most, and it is still more than noticeable to him.

 

Minhyuk knows, of course.

 

_“You sure?”_

“Peachy,” Kihyun says. “All signals good, position steady. Let the others know we’re coming.”

 

_“Negative, we lost contact. Please initiate direct communication, there seems to be an interceptive signal.”_

Great. They’re flying blind.

 

He mutes Minhyuk’s channel and calls up another.

 

“Mauve 1, this is Mauve 4. Base says we lost touch with the incoming group.”

 

_“Mauve 4, please repeat.”_

“Base cannot talk to Azure and the incoming vessels,” Kihyun repeats, loudly. He’s sure the sound should carry over the background noise of the engines, but he’s not keen on parroting himself too many times.

 

_“Well shit.”_

“We’ll get a direct line once we’re in position,” Kihyun says. “Until then, keep this channel open.”

 

_“Will do.”_

“Minhyuk?”

 

_“Mauve 4?”_

“Please relay this information to Mauve 6 and 11.”

 

_“Already on it.”_

Kihyun is not the squadron’s commander. He’s just an assertive member – they lost Mauve Leader a while ago, and no one has been assigned the title afterwards. It works, because they have central command at the ground in the form of Hyunwoo, and they work well together as a team regardless of who’s got the higher rank. The enemy doesn’t care about rank – they fire on all fighters regardless of their pilots.

 

When they are bigger, they need a leader, a coordinating force to direct them all through chaotic battles and missions. But right now, it’s enough to just take the strategic chats between each other as they go along.

 

Especially for impromptu deployments such as this one.

 

They exit the atmosphere soon enough, scattering into the huge blackness of space, littered with glowing dots and sparkles of distant stars and planets so close, yet so far away. It’s beautiful, and it feels a little bit like home.

 

But Kihyun has admired the scenery before – now it has to blend into the periphery of his vision as he focuses on the real target, the vicious hunters from the Empire.

 

Mauve 1 is already taking off in another direction, and Kihyun adjusts his scanner to search for nearby activity. A small cluster of vessels a bit further ahead, too far away for him to see with his naked eye, but close enough to be picked up by his ship’s radar. He can’t make out exactly what they are, but it should be the fray.

 

Kihyun decides to see if he can establish a connection already.

 

The Alliance often utilizes a shared communication line, available despite no prior interaction between the individual ships, and comm hacking from the Empire is a relatively rare occurrence, but a risk they have to live with. They are never allowed to share sensitive information over the comms, making them relatively unappealing targets, and the Empire doesn’t need to resort to hijacking their systems to interrupt the Allaince’s strategies. Nonetheless, it’s a security measure – and in this case, Kihyun doesn’t even know what they are up against, not exactly.

 

 Which is why needs to figure that out.

 

“Mauve 4 to Azure Squadron,” he tries, boosting the signal in a wide radius around him. “Azure Squadron, please proceed.”

 

Nothing.

 

There is some static in his ear, increasing in volume as he flies, and Kihyun decides to try again.

 

“Mauve 4 to Azure Squadron, can you hear me? Hello?”

 

_“This is Azure 2, we hear you.”_

 

Kihyun presses the relay button to get a crossline down to Minhyuk. The button blinks red three times until it settles on a muted green.

 

“Azure 2, please confirm,” Kihyun says, starting to recite the code words. “We shine forever – “

 

_“ – and go all in for the cause.”_

Kihyun grins. “Thank you very much. Azure 2, what is your status?”

 

_“Uuuuh, struggling. One fighter is down with a broken wing, retracted to the main ship. ETA back-up?”_

 

“Approximately 2.7 minutes,” Kihyun reads off of his dashboard. “Four are on their way, another seven prepping at the base if necessary. Please keep this channel open.”

 

_“Gotcha.”_

 

“What will I see when I get there?”

 

“ _We are down to five operating fighters, but there are at least six TIE fighters and defenders on our tail, and – I think an Aethersprite?”_

“Bounty hunter?”

 

“ _Probably a mercenary, I think – “_

_“Kihyun, Jooheon wants me to say that he wants that Aethersprite!”_

_“ – but it’s causing a lot of trouble for us. As long as we can take out the TIEs before landing and disclosing your position, we will be good.”_

Kihyun mutes Azure 2’s channel for a second and growls down to base. “Minhyuk, tell Jooheon to get the fuck away from the panels.”

 

_“Sorry.”_

Technically, Jooheon isn’t allowed near the panels unless they are smoking and threatening to blow up, but Hyunwoo has a soft spot for him, unfortunately for Kihyun. He has received angry messages from his mechanic more than once, about not doing this or that while he’s out there flying.

 

He’ll scold them later.

 

“Azure 2,” he starts again, reconnecting the comm. “I see flashes ahead, I assume that’s you. Mauve 6 has ballistics, team up with him to take out the TIE Defenders. If I can get some of them to follow me, there is an asteroid belt at 108.9°. They are too clunky to follow the movements effectively.”

 

_“Will you be okay, Mauve 2?”_

“It’s a well-practiced manoeuvre. I’ll be fine,” Kihyun says, fully well knowing Minhyuk is probably tearing his hair out on the ground.

 

It’s not a well-practiced manoeuvre. It’s just something that Kihyun does, occasionally, because he finds it effective, and because he has a light, agile Starfighter that’s relatively poor in direct firefights compared to some of the bulkier models.

 

Certainly compared to the TIE Fighters.

 

Mauve 1 is already engaged in the fight ahead of him now, Kihyun can tell, and it looks messy enough from a distance.

 

The new crew’s transport ship is not a big one, an old cargo ship with barely enough space for a bay, and clunky thrusters that drive them forward at an ancient pace. That must be why the Empire was able to track them down, follow them even through hyperspace.

 

But their fighters, few as they are, look solid enough, and they try their best to defend the bulk of the ship from the blaster shots of the TIE Fighters and Defenders, but they are still outnumbered. Mauve 1, admittedly a bit of a reckless character, is heading straight into the crowd, almost flying into the closest TIE Fighter in the process.

 

Red blaster bolts mix with green, chasing fighters around their little battlefield, and it becomes difficult to distinguish friend from foe.

 

That is only going to get worse when the remaining pilots from Mauve Squadron arrives.

 

Kihyun announces his arrival with a precise shot at the wing of one of the TIE Fighters, not strong enough to tear it apart completely, but it does take off a little chip and send the fighter stumbling off-balance for a second. He is able to send of four more shots as he circles above the group, some hitting while others only graze the target, and by that time the Empire’s pilots have noticed him as well.

 

One of them shifts completely, a TIE Defender, and shit – Kihyun’s fighter isn’t equipped to deal with that, but before it has even reached firing range, a blast of red takes out the aiming radar.

 

Kihyun glances to his side and sees an X-Wing with stripes of blue, a huge number ‘2’ painted boldly on the side.

 

Flashy.

 

Kihyun likes it.

 

The pilot is just visible to him behind the glass of the cockpit, covered in a suit and helmet rather than just the basic oxygen supply of the cabin, and Kihyun gives him a thumbs up.

 

The pilot returns it.

 

_“You’re welcome, Mauve 4.  Do what you have to!”_

And then he takes off again, chasing the TIE Defender as it attempts to adjust its aim again.

 

He’s good, Kihyun notices.

 

But he doesn’t have time to dwell on it, and swiftly turns around to fire shots in the directions of the TIE Fighters, trying to grab their attention. It works, eventually, and he gets two of them on his hail before changing coordinates and flying away from the cargo ship.

It’s hardly a five minute flight to the asteroid belt, but Kihyun is afraid he might lose their interest if he only spends the time evading their shots. So he spins around, twisting his fighter and fires off a few bolts himself, just to keep them engaged. They fly way off, but just close enough to appear genuine, and that will have to do for now.

 

_“Mauve 4, status update please.”_

It’s not Azure 2, but Hyunwoo. He must be worried.

 

“Approaching asteroid belt,” Kihyun says, tries to sound neutrally. “Will probably not be able to answer the comm in a while.”

 

_“Alright, let us know when you’re done.”_

Someone else might have tried to persuade Kihyun to do something less drastic, less dangerous.

 

But Hyunwoo trusts Kihyun, his skills and his judgement.

 

And nothing he could say would stop Kihyun, anyway.

 

The giant floating boulders appear before him now, and if the TIE Fighters are deterred, they don’t show it. Kihyun flies straight in, diving and twisting around the rocks as if they’re not moving at all, trying to make sharp and sudden turns to drive his enemy against the stones. With the speed they’re flying at, even a small hit can be fatal for the state of the fighter, and it’s exactly as risky as Kihyun wanted.

 

He can feel sweat beading at his temples as he concentrates, eyes wide and alert as his hands move steadily on the controllers. One thing is flying in a manner that can provoke a crash from the TIE Fighters – another is to avoid crashing himself.

 

There is a huge boulder ahead, and he flies under it and then up again quickly, darting to the right of a sharp, long piece of rock, and then through the middle of a small, floating pile, hearing something scrape against the polish on his fighter. But nothing major, and if he got this close - 

 

There is a satisfying boom behind him as at least one of the TIEs crashes into the rock and blows up. He dares to glance down at the screen and his back camera, seeing indeed only one TIE Fighter now –

 

And the Aethersprite.

 

Faded, rusty red, almost the same colour as the asteroid rocks, only much sleeker and elegant, much more efficient at navigating the death path.

 

Kihyun is not sure he can outperform this one.

 

The Aethersprites are relics of a lost history, back before there was a Galactic Empire and only a Republic, back when the Jedi served the galaxy with fervour and justice and holy hands. The Aethersprites used to be called Jedi Starfighters and were their chosen steeds in space, until the Purge that destroyed them all.

 

They are not even produced these days, and must be terribly valuable – if not for their antiquity, then at least their superiority in versatility battles.

 

Kihyun’s Starfighter is quite ordinary in comparison.

 

The one chasing him now must be pilfered from somewhere, stolen by someone with an affinity for uniqueness and quality, and it’s probably not someone who could be looked down on for their piloting skills.

 

_Shit._

Then there is still the other TIE Fighter, and Kihyun has to get rid of that one as well before it decides to leave him and go back to the big firefight.

 

He keeps trying to make sudden turns and dodging the approaching boulders just in time, hoping to provoke another crash, but these two appear more resilient, better pilots, than the first one, and refuse to back down from the challenge.

 

It’s annoying – but it’s also thrilling, and Kihyun will never give up either.

 

He makes another sharp swing and rotates underneath an arch, making sure to stay as close to the top as possible – and then pulling up sharply as soon as he gets out to avoid crashing into another boulder floating around just on the other side.

 

But both the Aethersprite and the TIE Fighter manage to dodge it, and Kihyun curses.

 

The asteroid belt is only so long, and he cannot keep flying in circles forever.

 

He looks up.

 

There is a hole in one of the boulders ahead, big enough for Kihyun and the Aethersprite, but not for the TIE Fighter.

 

It will have to do.

 

He dives through, pressing down hard on the controller with everything he’s got to keep it steady as he flies through the tunnel. The Aethersprite is hot on his heels, but the TIE Fighter is gone.

 

Gone around, probably.

 

The left side of the boulder was smaller, it probably went around on that side –

 

The moment Kihyun escapes the tunnel, he pulls violently to the right, just as he sees the TIE Fighter round the corner on the left. The TIE Fighter changes direction, follows him towards the other side of the boulder.

 

That’s it…

 

The Aethersprite exits the tunnel just as the TIE Fighter passes it by, and the two of them crash violently and go up in a burst of sparks and flames, first merely wounding each other, but then drifting too far away and flying into other rogue asteroids and it only takes one final blaster shot from Kihyun’s meagre arsenal to finish them off completely.

 

Three fighters.

 

Not a bad day at work at all.

 

Kihyun lets out a long, shaky breath and feels his shoulders sag a little at the relief as he slows down to exit the asteroid belt without too much trouble. He’s trembling, from adrenaline or weariness he can’t say, but either way he needs to get  a hold of himself again before he can rejoin the fray. He hooks up all the communication channels, broadcasting indiscriminately.

 

“This is Mauve 4,” he says, trying to keep his voice steady. “Two TIE Fighters and one Aethersprite immobilized. Please advise further action.”

 

 _“Mauve 4, this is Minhyuk,”_ the comm crackles. _“The others are en-route to base. Good job, buddy.”_

 

Kihyun sighs again.

 

They’re done – survived another day and outlived another squad from the Empire. Their enemy can afford the losses, but it’s still a satisfying thought. Each little victory is a little bit closer to their goal – each punch in the Empire’s gut will wear it down slowly, while boosting Rebel morale.

 

He repeats it to himself on the way down, congratulates himself and the rest of the Mauve Squadron and the Azure Squadron for their good work, hammering it into his head – they are good. So good. This is only the beginning of what they can do on an easy day.

 

Hyunwoo wouldn’t want him to be cocky, and he isn’t – he’s just building confidence, self-assurance, faith in his companions and their cause.

 

It’s important.

 

And Hyunwoo would be the first to agree with that.

 

By the time he makes it down to the base, the other ships are already there, the fighters parked in the hangar next to Kihyun’s spot, but he manages to squeeze in and fit his ship nonetheless. He notices the big X-Wing with blue accents and smiles a little.

 

 

As he crawls out of his ship, Jooheon storms up to him to check the state of the ship, and while he doesn’t look pleased with the new scrapes, he keeps his admonishments to himself for once. Kihyun appreciates that consideration, as his limbs are already growing heavy and tired, and he tucks his helmet neatly into the compartment beneath the seat as the final touch on the ship for today. His flight suit goes in the corner for airing and maintenance, later.

 

When he finally steps down on solid ground again, he sees Hyunwoo talking to a group of unfamiliar people in flight suits at the other side of the hangar, some of the pilots from Mauve Squadron also hanging around. When Hyunwoo looks up and notices Kihyun’s attention on the group, he grins and waves him over.

 

And Kihyun, obediently, makes his way over to his lieutenant without question.

 

“This is Mauve 4,” Hyunwoo introduces him as he steps closer. “Or, you know, Kihyun on the ground. Kihyun, these are the pilots from the Azure Squadron.”

 

And azure.

 

Azure they are.

 

At least, one of them – the one closest to Kihyun, tall, handsome and with a slight glint to his eyes as he stretches out a blue hand in greeting.

 

“Nice to meet you in person, Mauve 4,” he says, almost cheekily. “I’m Azure 2. I thought you were done for when the Aethersprite went after you as well, but here you are. You really saved us up there.”

 

“It was nothing,” Kihyun attempts to brush off the praise, but he still feels the blood rush to his cheeks.

 

Azure 2 is… Blue. All over. His skin. Is blue. His eyes are yellow, but not aggressive, dangerous. Just pretty – like the sun. Like the two stars on the night sky. Strong jaw, soft lips, delicately shaped nose -

 

Azure 2 is really attractive.

 

And Azure 2 is a good pilot.

 

Both of those things have always ranked highly on Kihyun’s list of favourite things in the world.

 

“What’s your name, Azure 2?”

 

“Hoseok. Shin Hoseok.”

 

And later that night, Kihyun isn’t surprised to find _Hoseok_ staring at him across the rebels’ own little bar at the backside of the cafeteria, grinning wickedly and winking when he catches Kihyun’s eye.

 

“So, could you ride me as well as you ride that Starfighter?” He asks, and Kihyun almost wants to puke and kick him outside already, but despite his protests, there is something slightly endearing about the poor pick-up line.

 

There is definitely something endearing about that smile.

 

So if Kihyun banishes Minhyuk from their shared room afterwards, it is for completely legitimate reasons.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to make them blue and pink squadron outright, but who in their right mind would name something “Pink Squadron”. Also, Blue Squadron already exists in canon with a too significant history for me to get mixed up with it.
> 
> There will be more to this AU in future one-shots.


End file.
